Is the pain in my chest a natural process?

Question from a friend.

Friend:
Hello Magdi, since i’m contemplating my experience, the belief to be a separate self seems to weaken with time. However, at the body level, the more i offer my bodily sensations to awareness, the more i feel a big knot at the center of my chest. Sometimes doing nothing and just contemplating, the pain become quite sharp. Those days it became almost always presents during the feeling of presence. Could you comment? Is it a natural process? Pain becoming more aware, or awareness becoming more aware of the pain?

Reply:
First make sure there is no physical condition with the body that requires medical attention as you mention a sharp pain in the chest. Seek the appropriate medical advise as well as alternative methods.
The pain in the chest could be a resistance. The body has been in a crouched position as a separate self for so long. When you start releasing the bodily positions and relaxing them, there can be a painful resistance that should diminish and dissipate as you continue to remain relaxed and open allowing all bodily sensations the infinite space of awareness at the feeling level.
As of your question: ‘Pain becoming more aware’, it is always awareness that is aware. Pain is an appearance.
Pain is a bodily sensation that appears in order to 1) safeguard the body (such as the pain of putting your hand in the fire) and 2) teaches you to relax in the openness and 3) help you to understand that the body is impermanent and mortal and is not what you truly are, since you are the knowingness of the pain.
Continue to offer the bodily sensations to the openness by recognizing the openness. Notice that all sensations arise in the openness, in awareness and are made out of awareness. It is attachment to experience that leads to suffering. But when we remain as awareness, then the images on the screen do not lead to suffering.
Do not block the knot at the center of your chest. Invite it to freedom. Invite it to take whatever shape it takes and know that it is the play of consciousness that has only one aim: your liberation from ignorance.
Stay with your love for freedom and happiness, no matter what arises on the screen. Do not impose your images and your expectations on consciousness.
Freedom and happiness is causeless and does not depend on health, wealth nor on any phenomenal event.

Friend: OK thanks Magdi for your very complete and deep answer. Just when you say invite it to freedom? Does it means let it be and keep offering it to openness ? That’s what i am doing since a few years now under Francis instructions. Also, i guess the process to destroy ignorance in the body is slow. Just by curiosity, may i ask you how many years did it last for you to get ignorance out of your system? And thanks again for yours answers and Facebook posts which are very useful. Have a nice day

Reply: Recognize the openness that already IS.
Everything arises and is sourced in open presence, open awareness, borderless consciousness. Everything dissolves back into the openness out of which it arose.
It is like in a movie, every frame flashes on the screen and instantly dissolves for another frame to appear.
Inviting all phenomenal events to freedom implies the recognition that consciousness is already free and is the substance of the images on the screen…everything is known via consciousness. With this recognition, a relaxation follows.
There are no problems to resolve. If anything, it is more of a relaxation, a surrender that is gentle and sweet and holds on to nothing. The bodymind works together in this relaxation that is orchestrated by your love for truth and your trust.
It is hard to answer your question about how many years it took for the eternity, infinity and universality of consciousness to reveal itself. There are many Aha moments throughout the journey. Also along the journey, there is conditioning at the mind as well as the body levels. Conditioning arises only to be explored and releases to reveal the openness. There are endless revelations. At some point, you arrive at a certainty and a point of no-return about your true nature. But it is hard to track this process in time.
It is a process of love and passion for truth and the willingness to give truth all you got without holding back. At some point, your love for truth has a mass that effortlessly guides your path.
After my initial glimpse into our true nature, I believe it was 1973, questions ended a few years ago when I was exploring with Francis.
But, this historical detail is of no importance. It differs from person to person. Simply continue to explore your current questions and situation.
With Love,
Magdi

Friend:
Thank you so much Magdi. Your answer is very clear and generous!! it’s very helpful in my perspective the way you put things together. You’re very precious. Thanks again